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What breast size tells you

A young woman's breast size may indicate her risk for type 2 diabetes later in life, suggests a Canadian-led study published Tuesday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Researchers looked at data on 92 000 women in the ongoing US Nurse's Health Study II and found that those who wore a D-cup bra at age 20 were nearly 60 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who wore a smaller cup size, the Toronto Star reported. The diabetes risk appears to increase progressively with breast size.

The study also found that women with high body mass index plus large breasts at age 20 were about four times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with low BMI and small breasts.

Obesity, especially excess fat in the abdomen, has long been regarded as an important factor in the development of type 2 diabetes. This new study suggests that fat storage in women's breasts may pose an additional and independent diabetes risk, the Star reported.

These are preliminary findings and more research is needed to examine the possible link between breast size and diabetes risk, said the study authors, from the University of Toronto and Harvard Medical School. – (HealthDayNews)

Read more:
Diabetes Centre
Breast Centre

January 2008

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